Black Leather and Blue Eyes
by Fenikkusu Ai
Summary: Ten one-shots of Ryo/Edo written for 10 hurt comfort. Outcast. Ryo just wanted Edo to shut up.
1. Breakdown

Title: Breakdown  
Author: Fenikkusu Ai  
Claim: Ryo Marufuji/Edo Phoenix  
Table: General #2  
Prompt: #1 Thunderstorm  
Rating: T  
Summary: In an instant, everything you believed was true could turn out to be entirely false. Warnings: Some mild language. Notes: Saiou/Edo is referenced to and a love triangle involving Count: 370.

* * *

"Edo? Edo?"

A sudden burst of noisy forked lightening caused Ryo to gasp out loud as he gripped for the wall. Seconds later, he cursed himself for this act of weakness. The mighty Hell Kaiser was frightened of lightning? Especially, when electricity was a major part of his career.

Edo was like that thunderstorm out there: angry, unpredictable, uncompromising, and could materialize out of nowhere and disappear just as quickly.

Knowing that the blue-eyed brat had a strange affinity with thunderstorms, Ryo had a suspicion and followed it outside through the French doors onto the connecting wooden deck. There, under the roiling cloud cover was Edo.

He looked pathetic there; defeated as his eyes sought out the storm and the deluge of rain soaked his hair and suit sleeves. Of course, it didn't occur to Edo to get away from the railing and go back under the shelter of the roof above so he didn't catch his death. Ryo would _not_ be feeding him chicken soup when he got sick.

Damn, he hoped Edo wasn't getting ideas in the rain of how easy it would be to let go. It really wasn't that bad. It was just…reality.

The thing that had started the argument was still clutched in Edo's wet hand; his glaring orange cell phone. Somewhere, miles away, someone else was no doubt standing in the same rain shower—Saiou Takuma.

Why the hell did Edo have to be so truthful? Of where he was and who he was with? Now, Edo was on the verge on a breakup and a breakdown simultaneously.

"Edo?" Ryo approached his now reluctant lover.

"Get away from me!" the younger boy roared.

Ryo rolled his eyes. "Yeah. _I_ forced you into this position. You know, now might be the time to make a grown-up decision of which man you want to spend the rest of your immediate future with." He dared to lay what he hoped a calming hand on the emotionally suffering boy's shoulder.

He was a fool for so many reasons. One, for toying with Saiou and Edo's near sanctified bond and two, for attempting to soothe the savage phoenix.

Though, he noticed Edo didn't tell him to leave after that.


	2. Calm of the Storm

Title: Calm of the Storm  
Author: Fenikkusu Ai  
Claim: Ryo Marufuji/Edo Phoenix  
Table: General #2  
Prompt: #2 Rejected  
Rating: T  
Summary: Ryo tries to end something that cannot be ended by normal means. Word Count: 381

* * *

"I hate you," Edo growls ruthlessly.

"I know." Ryo bows his slightly mussed gelled hair. It smells so good, and Edo hates Ryo for that. Exotic and heady. His head falls just right to reveal the red mark on his cheek.

"After…that. After six or seven months, you just up and reject me?" Edo hated to hear the unrestrained pain in his voice.

The timing was wrong. All wrong. Especially when they had just woken up together in Ryo's apartment—in Ryo's bed. The idyllic summer breeze blew through the open window and a wind chime was jingling somewhere.

Edo was used to bad things happening, but nothing like this. You don't reject someone like this. So directly. So out of the blue.

_You don't reject a Pro League star._

But, then Ryo was a star too—a black fading and dying star in contrast to Edo's tentatively flickering white. Manjoume Jun was seeing to that.

"What? Did you expect this to last forever, Phoenix?"

"Not forever. Just longer."

Ryou snorted. "You act as if you love me."

"I don't."

"So, why do you care?"

Edo rammed his hand into the mattress. "Because you're the only person who_ gets_ me."

"Edo, in all that time we've been together; I've_ never_ gotten you. This relationship is distracting us, that's all. From the world. From ourselves. No different from any other addiction."

"You act like I'm heroin."

Ryo suddenly pulled him closer. "The most dangerous drug."

It strikes Edo to hit him again for _daring_ to lay a hand on him. "I thought we were broken up."

"We are…but I'm torn up the middle right now."

Edo didn't know what to think. The hurricane of Ryo's words had nearly blown away everything both man had ever held dear. Now as Ryo's lips landed on Edo's for safe haven; it seemed as though they were breathing in the misty calm of the storm. A major tragedy had been averted.

Most people would have shoved Ryo off of their person for pulling that stunt, but Edo wasn't most people he mused as they wrapped themselves up together again under the thin bed sheet. He knew that Destiny had other plans for them.

Like that metaphorical hurricane, their relationship was over when the storm was over.


	3. U Okay?

Title: U Okay?  
Author: Fenikkusu Ai  
Claim: Marufuji Ryo/Edo Phoenix  
Table: General #2  
Prompt: #3 Heartbreak  
Rating: T  
Summary: Ryo is starting to feel an ache in his chest, and it's not a physical complaint either. Word Count: 523.

* * *

Ryo was quite unused to this feeling; this dull ache in his chest that made his eyes squirt with tears if he wasn't careful.

However, his chest often hurt. How could it not with the risky dueling he was playing around with? But, the most important thing was that he was on top again. The crowd loved it. The crowd cheered _his_ name now. Screw his heart. There was time to worry about that when he was on that hospital bed in the intensive care unit where the lowly Hell Kaiser would try to make his peace with God before the other one got him.

_Or until he committed suicide._

He'd been walking in the fresh air for nearly two miles in the darkened city. Twice he had nearly been accosted, but when the thugs saw exactly _who_ it was skulking in the night suddenly it was them trying to make themselves scarce. Without a second thought, Ryo kept going. He wanted to walk that other person right the hell out of his mind.

It wasn't working yet.

_Cling. Cling…_

He pulled out the cell phone that had been causing a racket in his pocket and with dread flipped it open to read the telltale text message.

ARE U OKAY?

Edo. Who else had his number?

NO

Ryo moodily keyed in the two letters before throwing the phone across the street. It broke naturally on contact when it hit the unforgiving pavement.

Edo was going to be the death of him. But, Ryo supposed it wasn't the blue-eyed boy's fault. He had no idea there was going to be a fight. He had no idea how Ryo would react. Ryo didn't understand it himself. Besides, the two fought often. The ever constant banter was the background noise of their relationship—forming a nice little wall that true emotions could never crack into. Or, so, that was the plan.

It had been such an innocent comment, and here Ryo was acting as if Edo had stabbed him.

"_Love you? No way in _hell_, Hell Kaiser..."_

"I'm unlovable," Ryo whispered. "First, my friends abandon me. Then, I nearly kill my brother. I'm…evil."

Ryo stayed there a long damned time until his heart rate slowed to a somewhat normal rhythm. It was five, ten, or fifteen minutes; he wasn't sure.

"Ryo! Ryo!"

_Crap._

There he was; gray hair swinging in his eyes and lean legs pumping up the sidewalk. Ryo simply stood there. Unmoving. Timidly, Phoenix approached him. He wore a baffled expression on his face.

"Why did you just run off like that?"

"There was a pain in my chest," Ryo replied truthfully.

"So…there was pain in your chest and that's why you started running like a maniac?"

Ryo grinned. He couldn't halt the involuntary action of his lips. Edo did the same. They knew each other too well.

That little action, that little bit of humanity was enough to cheer Ryo. In fact, having Edo around period seemed to cheer him. He enjoyed Edo's company. He loved Edo's company. He loved…

It was then Ryo realized he broke a cardinal sin: never love anything.


	4. To Mean It

Title: To Mean It  
Author: Fenikkusu Ai  
Claim: Ryo Marufuji/Edo Phoenix  
Table: General #2  
Prompt: #4 Lie  
Rating: T  
Summary: "Say it, Phoenix. Say it again. I _dare_ you to." Word Count: 349

* * *

"Don't lie to me like that again!" Ryo growled in Edo's face. In Edo's mind right now, Ryo resembled a snarling black dog.

Edo felt something rip through his heart like a raging wind gust. All at once, he felt like that little blue-eyed boy holding his umbrella for dear life as the wind tried to drag it away his sole protection with all its strength.

"It…wasn't…meant to disturb you," he replied through gritted teeth. "And, for your information, it's not a _lie_."

The air rushed through his lungs as his breath rate intensified. He knew he looked a sight; tie unraveled on the floor like a snake with his shirt near ripped open…a vision of a male whore. On instinct, Edo backed away from Ryo until his shoulders bumped the wall.

Edo didn't get it. Had he said such a bad thing? Even Hell Kaiser had to hear it once in his life from his own mother, not to mention his brother.

"Do you think it's fun playing games with me?" Ryo growled. He was beginning to pace back and forth. "Do _you_?"

"But, I meant it."

Hell Kaiser punched the wall. Edo's own face was inches away from where Ryo's knuckles made violent contact.

All of a sudden, the vicious anger drained from Hell Kaiser's face. "Say it, Phoenix. Say it again. I _dare_ you to." His voice contained an oddly detached calmness.

Edo never turned down a challenge. Not in Duel Monsters and certainly not in life. "I love you."

Edo's head snapped to the side as he was struck across the face yet again. He could have retaliated, but he did not. As it turned out, he didn't need to when moments later Ryo's lips brushed against his as a desperate noise gurgled in the older boy's throat; the noise of someone that had been starved of affection for the latter part of his life. Marufuji Ryo. A complicated boy that brought a punch in one hand and a kiss in another.

Edo Phoenix apparently liked the messed up ones. He knew from personal experience.


	5. Without a Word

Title: Without a Word  
Author: Fenikkusu Ai  
Claim: Ryo Marufuji/Edo Phoenix  
Table: General #2  
Prompt: #4 Cheater  
Rating: T  
Summary: It was pretty bad when Phoenix was actually _jealous_ of someone. Word Count: 300

* * *

Ryo noticed Fubuki's disapproving gaze. How the surfer's eyes innocently flicked over at Edo, back over to the shoreline, and then at Edo again—at Ryo's _new_ boyfriend.

He felt betrayed. Cheated. Ryo could guess that. He also got the vibe from Fubuki's scowl that he didn't think Edo good enough for him; a sleazy pro duelist with corrupt sponsors and seedy scandals. A kid with too much money and toys.

Fubuki didn't know the half of it. Ryo too possessed doubts about this coupling.

But, Ryo wasn't stupid. He was perfectly in charge of his life and was capable of making his own decisions. He didn't need Fubuki's input.

Edo was now frowning too; eyes burning in defiance. He very conspicuously grasped onto Ryo's forearm as if to mark ownership of him.

It was pretty bad when Phoenix was actually _jealous_ of someone.

Delicately, Ryo shook Edo off of him. He wasn't his chew toy after all. Fubuki watched this motion with silent triumph, but Ryo shook his head ever so slightly. Fubuki's face fell again. The decision was clear.

No matter what he and Fubuki had shared in their years of schooling, Ryo wasn't a schoolboy any longer. He had a new attitude, new clothes, and a new outlook. A new outlook that would clash against Fubuki's own. Edo understood the attitude of this new Hell Kaiser.

Fubuki never would.

Leaving Fubuki to his world of sunshine and laughter, Ryo turned and began walking. He heard rapid footfalls behind him; heavy with hurt indignation. Edo seemed unwilling to let him out of his sight.

_Great. I'll probably have to soothe his emotional wounds later…_

Without a word, Ryo didn't turn back to look at either of them as he was too wrapped up in his own bleak thoughts.


	6. Different

Title: Different

Author: Fenikkusu Ai

Claim: Ryo Marufuji/Edo Phoenix

Table: General #2

Prompt: #6 Outcast

Rating: T

Summary: Ryo just wanted Edo to shut up.

Word Count: 421

* * *

"How did we end up being outcasts?"

He didn't care for human contact much anymore, except for Phoenix who _insisted_ on tagging along everywhere now. Though, the question made Hell Kaiser wince. It was almost as painful as an electric shock.

It made no sense. Ryo had been the most loved and respected member at this academy. Now, some of the other students cringed as he walked past. There were always fans trailing behind him of course, behind both of them, but their attentions didn't matter. They only wanted a shiny autograph or some other trinket.

Edo Phoenix was most likely considered an outcast as well even with all his success. He was handsome, rich, and famous, but the coldness in his eyes and that wintry guarded smirk made others uncomfortable within minutes. Maybe having a life such as his made him that way. He could relate easily enough to adults but not to teens his own age. Children, he called them.

Except for Ryo of course.

However, the two were a magnificent sight in front of the dorms, but even though the students milling around did stare from afar; they did not approach.

"Don't think about it too much, Phoenix. We had our chance at a normal life. Life wasn't kind."

"Yeah?" Edo's tone was confrontational.

Ryo looked away and tried to think back to that time when he was innocent. When he was king of the school. When Asuka talked to him. When Sho talked to him. When he wore white instead of black. The memories were there, but they were indistinct and faded. It was better not to think at all. Instead, he focused on the present.

"We're different from them. We're pros."

Edo snorted.

Even Ryo admitted there was more to it than that. They were experienced. They could be cruel. Perhaps they were darker than the others in spirit and mind. Ryo knew himself that he had cut down his fellow duelists without mercy, and he knew Edo was capable of the same. Even to this day, Ryo could only get the story of Edo's stepfather in bits and pieces.

It must have been a hell of a duel.

Edo cleared his throat. "You're right. We are different."

Without warning, Edo kissed Hell Kaiser right on the lips. In public view.

"Idiot!" The older boy hissed.

However, a quick scan of their surroundings proved that no one was around at the moment. Ryo sighed in relief.

"What do you care, Ryo? We're outcasts," Edo said merrily.


End file.
